Page 22 of The Revenge

To him, it probably was.

“Only the four of us have access to this house now,” Gemini informs me. “If someone tries to use an unauthorized passcode, then we each get an alert on our phones.”

“Thank you. I feel so much better now,” I say, my voice dripping in sarcasm.

“Where are you going?” Syn asks as I start to leave again.

With a clenched jaw, I turn back to him. “Penny’s exam is finishing soon, and I’m going to meet her before she calls the police and S.W.A.T. storms the place looking for me.”

“Okay.” With a nod, Syn starts to follow me.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I ask him.

“With you.”

“Like hell you are.” My loud objection reminds me that my throat is still sore.

“Then I’ll go,” Royal says, stepping in.

I ignore the burning sensation in my throat. “Has it occurred to either of you that I don’t want any of you near me, or that I might just need some time alone?”

The corners of Royal’s mouth seem to drop a little, but he doesn’t look away. “I understand that, but you were alone at breakfast, and look what happened? You might not want any of us near you, but at least until we have the opportunity to ensure everyone understands you’re off-limits, one of us should go with you. You can take Gemini, if you prefer?”

I’m exhausted, my throat is killing me, my body is aching, and all I really want is some quiet time while I process everything before I speak to Penny. No matter what I say, I know they’re going to ignore me.

If I’m being honest, I don’t want them near me just out of principle, but the truth is, even if I don’t feel completely safe around them, at least with Syn, Royal, and Gemini, I have a good idea of where I stand. After all this time with them, I might notcompletely trust them, but I trust them more than the unknown—which is the rest of the student body.

At breakfast, it was Lissa and a couple of her friends who covered me in blood, but when I grabbed Lissa, no one else joined in. Next time, it might not be one-on-one, and even if the presence of Syn, Royal, or Gemini is enough to stop anyone trying anything, I’d be crazy to turn that down.

Considering I’m planning on staying in this house for longer, my sanity already needs looking at…

“Thenyoucan come,” I mutter at Royal.

At least with Royal, I’ll get some peace and quiet.

The coat I brought with me to James Keyingham University is probably in the trash by now. I’d worn it to breakfast and hung it up on the back of my chair as I ate, leaving the building without taking it with me. If it is still where I left it, it will be covered in blood.

Although I’d rather not wear any more of the clothes provided by Syn, there’s still several feet of snow on the ground. So I hurry upstairs to grab the long coat hanging in my closet and pull on my worn pair of ankle boots. When I get back downstairs, Royal is waiting for me, wearing a coat that looks like it was designed for skiing.

With his blond hair, grey eyes, and broad shoulders, he looks like he’s about to step out onto a photoshoot for a brochure for a Vermont ski resort, as the all-American boy next door athlete.

Hundreds of girls would be clawing at each other to have him walking beside them, but not me.

Instead of keeping a few paces behind me, which would feel a little too stalker-like anyway, he’s keeping the gap between us as large as the path with allow. If only I didn’t feel his stare burning a hole in the side of my face as I do my best to ignore him.

The campus is peaceful. I’m not sure if it’s because of Declan’s death or the fact that some students are sitting in exams, but as we walk through this area of the grounds where the Elite dorms are, we don’t pass anyone.

“Here.” Royal suddenly thrusts a hand out in front of me. He’s holding an unopened box of throat lozenges.

The cold air isn’t helping my throat, even as I breathe through my nose, and I was just thinking about how I was regretting not bringing a drink with me.

“They’re new,” Royal adds when I don’t take them. “I mean, they’re unopened. Moran keeps a cupboard stocked with medicine, but no one has tampered with them. I checked.”

The thought had never crossed my mind, but I take the box and extract one.

“Tori, I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but I—”

I stop abruptly to glare at him. “You’re right. I don’t.”

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